Cataclysm
by tadsfa
Summary: A truth that was both purposefully and unintentionally kept hidden from Harry is revealed. The resulting cataclysm will shake the foundations of the wizarding world.  almost totally AU after 4th year
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is property of J. K. Rowling. All I own is this particular storyline.

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-tadsfa-

Prologue: That Peaceful Easy Feeling

August 18th, 1995

In a cold, dank cell in Nurmengard an inmate paced in a circle, the walls of his prison just beyond the length of his shackled foot. The carvings on the chain burned a dim, oppressive red, reminding him of its magical properties, mocking his dreams of freedom. Fourteen years caged had taught him the necessity of conserving strength; he should have stopped his useless movements but the whispered news he had overheard from the guards kept him moving. Hushed rumors of Voldemort's return: usually scoffed at, but always with a hint of uncertainty… even fear.

Fourteen years he had been in this cell. It was from inside these walls that he had first heard of the downfall of Voldemort, the death of James and Lily Potter; it was here that he had first heard the name The-Boy-Who-Lived. It was from the rumblings of the German Aurors that he learned of Sirius Black's incarceration and, years later, his subsequent break-out of Azkaban. And it was here that he heard of the tragedy of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And it was this that had him pacing.

It was time. For two years this plan had been fermenting in his head, lacking the last bit of momentum he would need to carry it through. But that motivation had come. Whether or not the guards believed it, Voldemort had risen; War was a hand. It was time.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is property of J. K. Rowling. All I own is this particular storyline.

A/N: Although I've written stories before, this is my first fanfiction so apologies if it's a little rough. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated. This will be an AU of the 5th book on but it may contain elements of HBP and DH. I know some of this stuff has been done before but I'm hoping to be at least a little original.

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**Cataclysm**

-tadsfa-

Chapter 1: What You Never Knew, You Never Knew

A/N: Harry has already been attacked by dementors and been brought to Grimmauld Place. This story begins in the kitchen that first night.

* * *

**15 days previously: August 3rd, 1995**

"_Sirius?" said Mundungus, who did not appear to have paid any attention to this conversation, but had been closely examining an empty goblet. "This solid silver, mate?"_

"_Yes," said Sirius, surveying it with distaste. "Finest fifteenth-century goblin-wrought silver, embossed with the Black family crest."_

"_That'd come off, though," muttered Mundungus, polishing it with his cuff._

(Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix: pg. 83)

"Speaking of family crests and silver," Sirius segued, casually turning back to Harry," I noticed you're not wearing the Potter family ring. Any particular reason?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "I dunno know what you're talking about. What family ring?"

Remus leaned over. "The ring the Head of a Noble wizarding family would wear. But Sirius," Remus looked above Harry's head, "he's too young. Wizarding majority isn't until seventeen."

"Not when you're the last of your line it's not," the Black lord informed him. "Then the goblins turn over Head right's on your fifteenth birthday. Which for you," he turned back to Harry, "was a few days ago. Are you sure you didn't receive any mail from Gringotts, official looking or otherwise?"

"Yes positive," Harry said, bewildered. Remus and Sirius frowned at each other.

"Strange," murmured Sirius. "Bill," he called to the tall red-head at the end of the table, "is it possible for Gringotts to forget to send a family ring to the new Head of a family?"

Bill shook his head, as the other occupants of the room looked from him to Sirius curiously. "Well, no not really. There are all kinds of wards and charms in place to make sure that those  
who need to know are informed whenever a succession occurs." He shrugged, "Why?"

"Harry's fifteenth birthday was four days ago and he's the last Potter, but he claims to have never gotten the mail from Gringotts informing him of his change in status," Remus said.

"Well that's odd." Mr. Weasley blinked. "When my father's older brother died, my father received his ring the very next day. Are you sure it's not because of his age?"

"The last of a line receive the family ring on their fifteenth," Bill answered before Sirius. "The only reason I can think of for Harry not to have received the title of Head is because the current Head is still alive."

"Not possible," Sirius said. "We know for a fact that James and Lily are dead, as are James' parents. Mr. Potter didn't have any brothers and Daniel has been dead longer than James."

Harry, who wasn't familiar with any part of this entire conversation, asked a question whose answer he thought he'd be able to understand. "Daniel? Who's Daniel?"

Remus broke his gaze from a despondent Sirius to respond to Harry's question. "Daniel was James's much older brother. He vanished a week or so before your parents went into hiding. A month later Dumbledore brought word that he'd been killed by Voldemort." He paused for the inevitable flinching. "James was crushed, of course."

Hermione jumped in. "I didn't know James Potter had a brother. I always had the impression that he was an only child."

"Yeah, so did I," Harry agreed.

"Daniel wasn't as well known as James, mostly because of James' role in Voldemort's downfall." Remus gestured to Harry.

"It started before Voldemort fell though." Sirius took up the story. "When Remus said Dan was James's much older brother, he meant much older. Dan was in his sixth year when James  
was born. He was a Ravenclaw, like his mother; Head Boy, Prefect. He was popular, but not overtly friendly. He went to work in the Department of Mysteries for some years after graduation, but just before James started school he quit and started traveling. He and James were close though. Every so often James would get a package from his brother containing some trinket from whatever country Daniel happened to be in at the time. In our forth year he got a necklace that had a charm on it that would let you be intangible for up to a full sixty seconds, although the charm had to recharge for two hours afterward. I remember James had gone home that Christmas and begged Dan to charm his invisibility cloak the same way. It didn't work but at least he tried."

"I think I remember meeting him: Daniel." Mr. Weasley was gazing at the fire in contemplation. He looked up to everyone's interested expressions. "Once, just once; in my first year. I got lost on my way to History and a prefect found me wandering around the Charms corridor and set me on the right path. He was a Ravenclaw, if I remember correctly: Tall, dark hair. Big."

"Everyone's big to a first year. But yeah, that sounds like him. And you're about the right age," Sirius said thoughtfully. "James looked like a Potter, through and through. Dan, though, took more after the Black side of the Potter family: blue-grey eyes and black hair that wasn't nearly as messy as James' was."

"Voldemort killed him?" Harry's question was wistful as he thought about another relative he would never see.

"Yeah," Sirius sighed heavily. "He tried recruiting him a couple of times; Dan was even friends with a couple of students who went on to become Death Eaters. He never joined though, openly despised the whole thing. However, even after Mr. and Mrs. Potter were killed during James' 7th year, he never truly fought against them either." He frowned in thought. "He and James actually had a falling out about the war, just after your parents wedding. They didn't really patch things up until you were born Harry."

A hush fell over the kitchen. Molly Weasley stood over the cauldron of soup, spoon in hand, listening with one ear as she checked the taste. Tonks was biting her lip as her gaze bounced from Sirius, to Remus, to Harry and back. Mad-Eye was shifting uneasily in his seat. Hermione had fixed Sirius with _a look_, apparently as fascinated with this unveiling of Harry's past as the boy himself.

Harry leaned forward with a breath. _Why had no one ever told him things like this before?_ This was his family. He should already know these things. But it wasn't just him, he realized. Everyone that didn't know him personally had apparently thought James Potter was an only child. Why? There had to be more to it than a simple case of an anti-social personality. _What was the big secret?_

He opened his mouth to ask the inevitable lead-up to Sirius's announcement when a strange sensation closed in on him. The question was important; he knew it. He just didn't know how he knew. He felt, not for the first time, as though he'd stumbled onto something bigger than expected and the feeling made him hesitate; it usually meant nothing good. But it had to be asked.

A curious mixture of trepidation and curiosity muddled his words. "Why'd they fight about the war?"

Remus, showing none of Harry's anxiety, readily responded to his query. "Daniel neither liked, nor trusted Dumbledore and made no secret of it. He was fiercely unhappy when he heard that James had joined the Order after he graduated. I wasn't there for their fight, so I don't know why precisely he was so vehemently opposed to it or the exact words spoken, but  
James was torn up about it for months afterward."

"I was there," Sirius's voice chimed in abruptly. "A week or so after James' wedding; I was visiting for the day. I'd gone to the loo, come back and saw the two of them arguing in the kitchen. They were both so into it they didn't even notice me, so I sort of hung around just outside the doorway. James was mentioning his parent's murder, talking about revenge, justice and the good of the world. All the stuff Gryffindors are made of. Dan was pleading with him; said that Dumbledore was wrong and that following him would get them killed. He said that he understood James' desire for justice but that he was more likely to lose his life than find what he was looking for in the Order." A jaded smile. "Turns out he was mostly right."

"Dumbledore did offer to be their Secret Keeper as you know Sirius. It wasn't his fault that James and Lily put their trust in the wrong person." Remus' thoughts were far away. "It wasn't James or Lily's fault either. Peter betrayed us all."

"I know, I know. Bastard." Sirius stared down at his clenched fists, eyes flaming.

"What happened after the fight?" Harry was eager to keep this conversation going. It was a rare treat for him to hear about his family. Beyond comments about how much he looked like his father or his mother's skill in charms his parents were almost never talked about, let alone any other members of his father's family. Everyone treated the subject as if it was taboo; the people who knew the Potters best were usually the ones that clammed up the fastest. It was like a conspiracy of silence.

"Daniel stormed out. Disappeared right up until a James contacted him, about a week before you were born. He showed up at your parent's house just two hours before Lily went into labor. He and James made up at Saint Mungos." Sirius laughed. "Dan brought a couple of bottles of firewhiskey for us and we all got a little tipsy. Lily would have been pissed except James was just so happy to be a father and to see his brother that she couldn't quite manage it." He and Remus smiled fondly in remembrance.

Remus took over. "After that things were back to normal between them. Daniel was usually around, though he still made disapproving noises whenever Dumbledore or the Order were mentioned. Every so often he'd leave to do stuff, never really said what, and a week before your first birthday was one of those times." He heaved a sigh. "Unfortunately this time he didn't come back and your parents went into hiding. A month later we were told he'd been killed though not when it had happened. You know the rest."

As everyone sat in thoughtful silence, Mrs. Weasley began to dish out dinner. Slowly a light chatter started up. Tonks and Ginny began a conversation about the Weird Sisters. The Weasley parents were discussing the Burrow while Fred and George teased Bill about his relationship with Fleur. Harry watched the fire as he ate, contemplating everything he'd just been  
told.

_Alright so I have an uncle, Daniel, who doesn't like Dumbledore or Voldemort and refuses to join either. My grandparents are killed during my dad's last year of school and just after he and mum  
get married they join the Order which makes Daniel mad and he leaves. He comes back when I'm born and he and dad make up but he still leaves off and on to do mysterious things he wouldn't talk about. He vanishes before my birthday. My parents go into hiding and a month later Dumbledore informs them that Daniel was killed by Voldemort. _Harry sat up. There was something there.

A tentative thought formed and he went with it.

"Sirius?"

"Hmm?" Sirius looked up from his bowl.

"How did Dumbledore know?"

"You're going to have to be more specific than that Harry."

"About my uncle I mean. How did Dumbledore know that Daniel had been killed by Voldemort? Did Voldemort tell him? Was there a body, a letter?" Hermione was listening in and as her eyes flickered to meet his, Harry got the impression that they were on the same page. She nudged Ron so he would hear Sirius' answer.

"I don't know what to tell you Harry; I wasn't there when James got the news, though Dumbledore did announce it to the Order at large later. He just said that he'd received information that Daniel had been killed by Voldemort. He never said how. At the time it didn't seem to matter all that much. Besides, it was Dumbledore; he pretty much knows something about everything." He gave Ron and Hermione a fleeting look before meeting Harry's eyes. "Why'd you want to know?"

Harry felt a flicker of something stirring in the back of his mind. There was something wrong with what Sirius had said and how it fit with the story of his parent's death and the rest of his life. Desperately he tried to hold on to it but it was like grabbing smoke and the thought slipped away. He glanced at his friends. Ron had gone back to his food but Hermione looked just as confused as he was. She looked back at him and shook her head before shrugging and also turning back to her meal. Harry sighed. "No reason Sirius." He cast about for a way to lighten the conversation. "So, if I get these Head rights does that mean I get to do magic outside of school?"

The thought Harry couldn't grasp while he was awake found root in his subconscious while he was asleep and Harry's nightmares took on a whole new dimension that night. He woke up frightened in a way he'd never been before; his fear was unfamiliar and therefore all the more terrifying. The monster in his dream wasn't the one who haunted him in his daylight hours; his mind had conjured up a whole new demon and the person chosen to play the part was the source of his dread. His mind latched onto the idea he hadn't managed to articulate to Sirius the night before and his brain made the leap from it to his nightmare. He felt the shock and implications to his core and rebelled. It couldn't be true. Because if it was…

When Ron woke up he noticed Harry's horrified profile and asked him if he'd had another You-Know-Who induced nightmare. Harry gave a non-committal answer. How could he have responded? How was he supposed to tell his best friend that the monster of his nightmare was their Headmaster?

* * *

**August 4th -11th , 1995**

The week leading up to the trial had been one of the worst in Harry's life. On top of having to deal with the fear that he might soon be expelled he was now paranoid about the man who was supposed to protect them all from the worst Dark Lord to come along in a century.

Ron must have told most everyone that he was having nightmares because the occupants of the house had seemed to come to some sort of understanding and had taken it in turns to shadow him wherever he went when he wasn't cleaning. Harry had made several attempts to slip away out from under their watchful eyes but was thwarted time and again by various friends. Frustrated by his inability to find time alone during the daylight hours, he'd taken to wandering the house at night, usually finding himself in the drawing room or library.

While this gave him solace from his nightmares and overly helpful friends, it wore him down quickly and everyone noticed his increased sluggishness. However they all put it down to nightmares and worries over his upcoming trail and, because he always made sure to be back in bed before Mrs. Weasley woke up, no one was any the wiser to his true nighttime activities. Harry weighed the pros and cons and eventually decided that the privacy the night afforded him was worth the lethargy he would feel in the day: his midnight doings continued.

He put the extra time to good use. Sirius had answered his throwaway question in the positive: Heads of family were allowed to use magic outside of school, regardless of age. However, when Harry had asked if that gave him an argument for his trial and a reason to dismiss the charges, the answer had been negative. For whatever reason, Harry hadn't received the letter from Gringotts transferring Head status over to him; despite the fact that everyone would know that he should be the Head it wasn't official until he signed the papers and received his ring. Bill had promised to look into the matter as soon as he could and get back to him.

While the thought of using magic whenever the urge struck filled him with an indescribable joy, Harry wasn't naïve enough to believe that would be the only aspect of his change in status. He began to devote much of his midnight hours into studying the duties of a Head of family; that meant browsing through old and dusty tomes, most guaranteed to put even a hardy scholar to sleep. But he persevered: Hermione would have been so proud, if only she'd known. And for the most part his dedication paid off. He discovered that Heads had the ability to make or break betrothals for underage members of their family. They also had the ability to dissolve existing marriages but there were a lot of stipulations involved in doing so. He also learned that despite his age he could vote in Ministerial elections and apply for his Apparition license. The Head of the Potter family also had the privilege of sitting in on Wizengamot meetings and speaking for or against all proposals put forth, but was not an actual member and was unable to vote on said proposals. He was also obligated to pay taxes but he found an archaic rule in an ancient book that seemed to imply that because of his age he could defer tax payments until he was out of school. He wasn't sure that this was still valid but if it was he intended to make full use of it.

He also learned plenty of useless information while trying to find the worthwhile stuff. He probably could have gotten answers quicker by asking Hermione, Sirius, or even Mr. Weasley, but felt this was something for him alone. And if anyone wondered about his seemingly nonexistent interest in this new facet of his life, they kept their comments to themselves.

What he was visibly interested in was his Uncle Daniel and the unacknowledged mystery that surrounded him. He questioned Sirius relentlessly but eventually gave in to the fact that there was only so much the man could tell him. Daniel was born on the 16th of January, 1944. He liked white wine but would drink burgundy, his favorite color was blue, and he had a muggle driver's license. He was also, Sirius informed Harry, a raccoon animagus. It was where James got the idea for them all to become animagi after learning about Remus. All this information, while interesting, wasn't helpful. Other members of the Order proved just as incapable of revealing what he truly wanted to know. Discouraged, he gave up. At least for the moment. He had a feeling he and his Headmaster would be having a long conversation next they met.

* * *

**August 12th , 1995**

Harry, followed by Mr. Weasley, stomped into the kitchen, swearing violently. Everyone's gaze fell on the doorway.

"Harry James! Language!" Mrs. Weasley glowered at him in disapproval. The rest eyed him in equal measures of interest and concern. Mostly. Ginny and the twins were grinning.

Sirius leapt to his feet. "Harry! What happened? Is everything alright? The trial-"

"Relax Sirius, the trial went fine. Sort of. I was cleared at any rate." Cheers erupted which made Harry smile briefly before his face fell. "Dumbledore swooped in to save the day." Harry tensed. "He wouldn't talk to me though; wouldn't even look at me! Throughout the whole trial he pretty much pretended I didn't exist."

Sirius glanced at Mr. Weasley who correctly interpreted his look. "I wasn't at the trial so I wouldn't be able to say. I did see Dumbledore afterwards. He said he was in a bit of a hurry and rushed off before I could ask him about the verdict. Harry came out just after him."

"Well I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," said Hermione in a transparent attempt at mollifying Harry's visible ire. "The Headmaster is a busy man. I expect you'll talk with him plenty once school begins."

"Yeah I suppose. Still common courtesy to talk to your students for a least a minute isn't it? Even if it's just to tell them to bugger off?"

"Harry!"

"Sorry."

Fred and George snickered.

"The Headmasters business is the Headmaster's business," said Mrs. Weasley loftily after giving Harry one last admonishing look for his cursing. "What matters is that the charges were dropped and Harry is free to attended school." There was another scattering of cheers and a mini war chant from the twins that was reminiscent of their first years catcalling 'we got Potter!'

"Right…so…" Sirius floundered. "You've been cleared. That's great. Congratulations."

Harry eyed him. "Try to contain your enthusiasm. Wouldn't want you acting like that." He gestured to the twins who had been joined by Ginny and apparently added a dance routine to their mantra.

Sirius said, "No, no. Honestly." He gave Harry a genuine, if strained, smile. "I'm happy for you. It's just…" He trailed off. "Never mind." Harry hesitated but eventually turned away, missing Sirius's brief grimace. Remus however didn't and frowned at his old friend.

* * *

**August 18th 1995**

Breakfast that morning was hurried. Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and Kingsley had only stayed long enough for a quick bite, before rushing off to the Ministry. They had only been gone for a few minutes when the morning meal was once again interrupted, this time by a trio of owls: one with a letter for Harry, one for Hermione, and the last carried four letters for the Weasley siblings.

"Finally," Ron said in exasperation, removing the Weasley letters and passing them out. "They usually come earlier than this."

"Well," Said Ginny reasonably, taking her letter from Ron, "Harry might have been expelled. They were probably waiting to see the outcome of his trial. That way they'd know whether or not to send him a letter."

"Still, that was days ago. You think they would have them sent out sooner than this. Or they could have mailed ours and given Harry his after the trial. You said Dumbledore was there right?" He looked at Harry.

"Yeah but like I said, he didn't even look at me. If he was trying that hard to avoid me I doubt he'd break just to give me a letter." Frustration leaked into his voice. The owl bearing his letter gave an irritated hoot. Harry clumsily untied his letter.

Hermione shook her head in exasperation. "Harry we talked about this. I'm sure the Headmaster was just busy. It probably had nothing to do with you." She also untied her letter and gave the owl a quick pat, before the trio flew off.

"'Probably' isn't very reassuring Hermione."

Hermione's response was lost with the arrival of Mrs. Weasley and a platter of bread.

"Freshly toasted, dears," she announced cheerily, setting the plate down. Then she caught sight of the letters Fred and George were smacking each other with. "Oh goodness, your letters are here. Well, open them up," she said to everyones stares. They complied and for a minute the only sound was the rustling of parchment. Suddenly Hermione's scream of triumph broke the stillness.

"Yes! Oh, yes! Prefect! I made prefect!" She did an undignified little dance in her excitement, a golden badge clutched in her fist. Harry turned to Ron, ready to trade tolerant expressions, only to be stopped by the strangled noise coming from Ron's throat. He was staring fixedly down at the letter in his hand, a look of stunned disbelief frozen on his face. Ginny paused her letter opening to give Ron a look of concern. She glanced over his shoulder and choked backed laughter. Never one to be left out on a joke, George yanked Ron's letter out of his hands. Something gold tumbled out onto the floor and Fred dove under the table after it. He came up with a whoop, waving the item in the air.

"Prefect! Ickle Ronnie is a prefect." He and George collapsed on each other in a fit of laughter. Ron tugged his badge out of Fred's hand, the tips of his ears flaming red. Mrs. Weasley uttered a little cry of joy and gave Ron a smothering hug. Hermione and Harry stared at one another. _Ron?_

"Oh we must celebrate. Ron and Hermione, Gryffindors two new prefects! Oh how wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley fussed over her son for a few minutes, oblivious to his struggling. Finally she stepped back and wiped her eyes. "Well, we can't put off going to Diagon Ally any longer now that your lists are here. I've been meaning to pick up a few things anyway. Ron what would you like?"

"What?" Ron gave her a hopeful look.

"You deserve a reward for being made prefect sweetheart. What will it be?"

_"Mum," said Ron hopefully, "can I have a new broom?"_

_Mrs. Weasley's face fell slightly; broomsticks were expensive._

_"Not a really good one!" Ron hastened to add, "Just-just a new one for a change…"_

_Mrs. Weasley hesitated then smiled._

_"Of course you can…Well, I'd better be going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later…Little Ronnie, a prefect! Oh, I'm all of a dither!"_

(Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix: pg. 164)

"Hold on Mum," Bill pushed his chair out. "I'll go with you. I've been meaning to check into Harry's Head status and find out what the holdup is but I've never had the time. But now's as good as anytime. Besides, safety in numbers."

"Oh well, alright. Hurry up, then. Well be back later on," Mrs. Weasley said to the others. She collected the supply lists from the children and she and Bill left. A heavy sort of silence fell. Ron was looking at the floor in apparent fascination. Hermione's eyes were flicking between Harry and Ron with an incredulous expression, similar to the one's worn by the twins. Ginny busied herself with her plate of pancakes.

Harry, for his part, warred with the feelings of amusement and surprise. It wasn't that he particularly wanted the responsibilities of being a prefect, but honestly who actually thought Ron would be a better choice than him? Ron, who had the temper of a blast-ended skewert. Dean would have been a better choice than Ron. Dean knew how to hold his temper and his grades were pretty even to Ron's, though Harry thought Dean might be just a tad better in charms. Still, as arrogant as it sounded, Harry knew he was the obvious choice. And judging from the expressions on the faces of the occupants of the kitchen, they knew it too. Hermione looked like she was seconds away from pointing out this fact and Harry sighed in frustration. He knew that it would be up to him to soothe Ron's insecurities and his jealousies if Hermione went through with it. Luckily an interruption arrived in the form of the last Marauders. Sirius had been scarce since Harry's vindication at the Ministry. Though he had at first professed cheer for Harry's return to Hogwarts, his mood had steadily darkened as that moment drew closer. Thinking back to his return from the Ministry and his godfather's false joy at the news that he'd been cleared, Harry was unpleasantly aware that seeing the schools letters was going to drag Sirius's mood down even further. Sure enough, as he and Lupin rounded the kitchen door, and he caught sight of the badge and letter Hermione was still holding, he paused and a shutter flickered over his eyes, the careless grin he'd been wearing bleeding away. Lupin, sidestepping from behind him, was oblivious to his old friend's bleak expression.

"I see you've all got your letters," he said cheerfully. "And Hermione, prefect? The obvious choice, but still, excellent show!"The werewolf turned to Harry, a happily expectant look on his face. There was a telling pause.

"Erm…" Ron, his face a faint pink, held up his badge. "Hermione wasn't the only one." Lupin blinked in shock. Even Sirius was surprised enough out of his gloom to quirk an eyebrow at Harry in question, to which the boy gave a slight nod. Sirius rolled his eyes.

Remus recovered valiantly. "That's wonderful, Ron. Congratulations, both of you! Well done!" If the former Defense professor was disappointed by Harry's non-appointment to the position of prefect as it had seemed, he did an admirable job of hiding it. Sirius just looked as if the entire system was a waste of time.

However, it did look as if he'd found a light in the debacle of Hogwarts letters. He grinned at the twins who were closest to himself. "So you've all got your letters now, eh? No putting off going to the Ally any longer. Wonder how many Order members can be scrounged up before Dumbledore deems a trip for all of us to Diagon 'safe' enough. Of course, yours truly would be happy to volunteer my services in keeping the future of the wizarding world safe from harm." He struck a pose, which made Ginny giggle, before glancing at Remus for agreement.

"Actually," Hermione said, "Mrs. Weasley already collected our supply lists and left for Diagon with Bill about a half hour ago. We were never going to go"

There was a second of dark silence from Harry's godfather. "Of course not," Sirius rumbled in disgust. "We shouldn't think to risk our lives in the open when Voldemort, who has all but buried himself in the sand to avoid being revealed, might decide to break his enforced silence and engage in open warfare in the middle of London. How silly of me ."

"Now Sirius," Remus began, "you know it's for the best. Someone sent those dementors after Harry and they almost got him. It's not safe to tempt that sort of luck on nothing more than a guess at Voldemort's plans, for nothing more than a lark. Safety is paramount."

As quickly as it had come, the fight left Sirius, and the Black Lord dropped heavily into a chair. The Hogwarts students shifted uneasily in their seats at the tense atmosphere. Remus waited a moment to be sure his friend wasn't going to start up again before turning to the teenagers.

"Now before we got sidetracked, Sirius and I had come here with a purpose. Dumbledore is thinking about inducting a few more members into the Order and we need some more rooms upstairs cleaned, just in case. Preferably by tonight. So if you're all done with breakfast, we should probably get started." Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys clambered to their feet. They trooped out the kitchen door, grumbling, with Lupin bringing up the rear. Before the door shut, Harry glanced back to see Sirius, unmoving in his seat, gaze fixed on the grimy window.

* * *

Harry had a notion that there was something to be said for physical labor erasing thought and making time pass by more quickly. By the time Mrs. Weasley and Bill arrived back from Diagon, the teenagers had cleared three rooms upstairs and had two completely cleaned and ready for use. Remus was pleased.

"Doubt we'll need them tonight, but no reason not to have them ready," he said to the kids as they traipsed downstairs to Mrs. Weasley's calls. "Dumbledore did say there was an off chance they might be needed."

As they stepped into the kitchen they were struck with a somber ambiance. Bill was speaking in hushed tones with Sirius and Mad-Eye, while nearby Molly Weasley chopped vegetables with a worried air. They all turned at the sound of the cleaning party's arrival.

"What's going on?" Hermione, as always, was the first to realize that something may be wrong. Sirius and Bill gave each other significant looks at Hermione's question. Sirius, Harry noted, looked as if he'd been given news that was unhappily impossible and yet terrifying. It was an interesting expression.

Finally Bill turned to the door. He looked as if he didn't know who to face. He settled on Lupin and took a breath. "Well I talked to the goblins about the Potter family Head rights. At first they were very unhelpful, since I've only just begun working at the actual bank. Curse breakers are mostly field agents and we don't deal with actual customers, so I really had no reason to be asking questions about stuff like that. But, after being given the runaround, I finally managed to get the name of the Potter family vault manager, a goblin by the name of Goldblood. He wanted to know why I was going around asking so many questions about the Potter family. I told him I was a family friend sent by Harry James Potter to check on his family's state of affairs. I mentioned that Harry had turned fifteen recently and, as the last of his family, was wondering about his Head status."

Here Bill hesitated and Sirius, who had been agitatedly striding back and forth behind him, jumped in. "They told him Harry couldn't be the family Head because he wasn't the last Potter." Sirius's face was filled with fierce wonder and his voice was strained with a wild hope. "Remus, they said Daniel is alive."


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Read the last chapter.

**Cataclysm**

-tadsfa-

Chapter 2: All These Little Things

**August 18****th****, 1995**

_Daniel is alive…Daniel is alive…Daniel is alive…_

In the silence that fell, the words seemed to echo around the kitchen and take on a life of their own. Mrs. Weasley had stopped her chopping and was ferociously rubbing the counters clean, her movements almost frantic. Remus staggered over to the table and collapsed into a chair, staring at Bill as though he had recently come back from the dead himself. Sirius took the seat across from him, his appearance just shy of crazed. Mad-Eye leaned against the cutlery shelf, his magical eye fixed in the direction of the front door. Hermione and the Weasley siblings took a hint and also selected seats. Harry, for his part, remained frozen by the entryway, his heart tripping like a jackhammer.

"They must have made some mistake," Remus said finally in a flat voice. All heads twisted to face him. "Daniel is dead. He's been dead for fourteen years. We know this for a fact."

"Remus, Gringotts doesn't make mistakes like this," Bill said wearily. "Goblins are very meticulous, orderly record keepers. It's one of the only reasons that wizards trust them with their gold and matters of family succession. A goblin would consider it a high breach of honor to fail in maintaining their customer's family records. If the vault keeper of the Potter family says that Daniel Potter is alive, then Daniel Potter is alive."

A forbidding tenseness settled over the group. All were desperately trying to assimilate this new information into what they already knew. None of the facts were adding up into a picture any of them could find comfort or understanding in. Harry was abruptly and horribly reminded of the conversation from his first night here: _"He just said that he'd received information that Daniel had been killed by Voldemort. He never said how." ..."…he still made disapproving noises whenever Dumbledore or the Order were mentioned."..."Daniel neither liked, nor trusted Dumbledore and made no secret of it."..."Besides, it was Dumbledore; he pretty much knows something about everything."_

Harry was aware of an icy drop of sweat beading its way down his spine. The silence was crushing and rank with panic. Someone needed to say something, anything, before he went to pieces. And, as if bidden, Ginny answered his mute wish.

"Wait. Wait, wait. Hold on. This is wrong. It should have already been known right? You know, with James Potter." She looked around at all the mystified faces. Even Hermione, who could follow most any train of thought, had no idea where Ginny was headed. Seeing this, the red-head huffed and turned to Padfoot. "You an' Bill, Sirius. You said that family Heads went to the oldest right? Which after Mr. Potter died, would have been Daniel, right? And then when Daniel supposedly died," she gestured to Bill, "shouldn't the Head title and family ring have gone to James Potter?"

Sirius was mouthing something, his face a sickly shade of grey. Lupin leapt up, then stood, frozen, his amber eyes wild. There was a sort of strangeness to this, Harry thought. Everyone should have been thrilled to have a man who had once been thought dead, be found to be alive. Yet it seemed as if everyone was suffering from the same fear fever that Harry was experiencing. It was almost funny in a way, but Harry wasn't about to laugh. If he opened his mouth, he'd throw up.

"James Potter did get the Head ring, right? After Daniel died?" Hermione's voice was tight with anxiety. "I mean you'd have known if he didn't. You said succession happens almost immediately and there were two months at least between Daniel's death and James's. You'd have known…" She trailed off, as if waiting for one of the Marauders to reassure her that of _course_ they'd seen James succeed his brother as family Head. Only…they didn't. Both were stuck in the same positions as before, staring, horrified, at each other.

The panicked impression was reaching its peak. It felt as if everyone in the kitchen was making the same leap of logic Harry had made his first night here. They were all jumping to the same conclusions.

A noise in the hallway shattered the thick stillness. Harry jumped and spun around, finding himself face to face with Kingsley Shacklebolt. Mr. Weasley was helping Tonks off the floor; she had tripped over the troll's leg again. Harry was surprised. He hadn't known it was that late in the day. He must have spent more time cleaning than he'd thought. The three from the Ministry were gazing curiously into the somber kitchen.

"What's all this," Tonks asked in amused alarm. "Who died?"

It was the wrong thing to say. Mrs. Weasley and Remus sucked in a breath of shocked air and Sirius made a choking noise. Harry however, couldn't contain himself and began laughing. He knew they must have all thought him insane but it was a relief to let loose, no matter how off the wall it made him seem.

"Er…" Tonks was grinning uncertainly, seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, yet watching the boy-who-lived succumb to laughter. "What's the joke?"

"No joke," said Remus hoarsely, "unless it's on us. Harry, straighten up. We have to figure this out."

"Maybe you should explain to the rest of us what exactly needs figuring out." Mr. Weasley's voice was cool, reasonable and did much more to calm down Harry than Lupin's order had. Everyone more or less settled into a seat, Mrs. Weasley taking one next to her husband. Once everyone had found a spot there was a slight pause as they wondered who should begin, and how. Mad-Eye took charge.

"Better explain, quick like," Moody said gruffly. "Black, you know most of the story, the important bits anyway. You'd best start."

* * *

**August 18****th**** 1995**

The steady ache flaring out from his shoulder was a warning; he wouldn't be able to keep up the pace, even with his companions help. Even as he thought this, his body was wracked by a spasm of pain and he stuttered to a halt. In response, the arm across his back tightened and the tugging increased.

"Come on," she said anxiously, giving his immobile body a heave and gazing out into the blackness apprehensively. "We have to hurry. It'll be daylight soon. The boat won't wait forever. And the Aurors are coming."

"Yes, I know," he assured her, unruffled, as if he hadn't just broken out of prison hours before. "However, if I pass out from blood loss you'll have to haul my carcass to the port yourself and I doubt you'd make it on time."

"If the Aurors catch us it won't matter if we're on time." She impatiently pushed a stand of brown hair out of her eyes with a bloody hand. "You'd think they'd just give up and go home already."

"Inconsiderate gits," the man said cheerily. "They never do what you want them to. Asses, the whole lot of them." He took another long breath and resumed the quickish trot they'd been at before. She kept pace with him, steadying him whenever he stumbled.

"I hope you haven't forgotten that I'm an Auror," she said a few moments later. He cocked his head at her, a curious look on his face.

"Are you?" he asked quietly. And he reached out with his uninjured arm to tap the ragged hole above her left breast, where an Aurors' patch was traditionally sewn.

* * *

**August 18****th**** 1995**

A surreal sort of mood had taken hold of Grimmauld Place. After everything had been explained to Tonks, Kingsley, and Mr. Weasley to everyone's satisfaction, someone (probably Mrs. Weasley) had decided it best that the youngsters were sent off to bed while the adults 'handled' the matter. Sirius, normally the first to stand up for the rights of the children, was too spent to do more than nod absently. It had kicked up a storm of protests from the Weasley brood but deprived of their strongest advocate, they were ultimately removed from the kitchen and an Imperturbable Charm placed on the door. Harry however, had only made a half hearted protest against this affront. Truthfully he was feeling overwhelmed and wanted nothing more than some solitude to work this out on his own.

With this goal in mind, he gave his friends some excuse and fled up the stairs, ignoring their calls and their confused mutters. He slipped into the library and sequestered himself away in his favorite corner, enjoying the silence, ready to mull over everything he knew. So of course that was where she found him, although he was a little surprised at who '_she'_ was.

"What're you doing here Ginny," he asked resignedly, a little miffed she'd sought him out. She took the seat across from him and gazed about with mild interest.

"I was worried about you. Ron's too busy being annoyed at you for walking off without him and Hermione's talking him down. Fred and George are still trying to get through the Charm on the kitchen door and I figured you needed someone to talk to, whether you knew it or not, so I reckoned it had to be me." He glowered at her, letting the expression on his face speak for him. She sighed in exasperation. "Harry, you just found out that you have an uncle, somewhere, who is supposed to be dead but is really alive and the man who told everyone he was dead is the same man who is pretty much running your life." She shivered, just as he did, at the reference to their Headmaster. He felt slightly reassured. "And you're really going to sit here and tell me that everything is perfectly fine? That you don't feel the slightest need to vent to somebody? It doesn't have to be me, you know. I could go get Ron and Hermione. Or Ron _or_ Hermione, if that sounds better to you. I'm sure either of them would be happy to help, grateful even." As she rambled, he felt tension bleed out of his muscles and his stomach unknotted. It was…relaxing to listen to her talk. It meant he didn't have to think, which, despite his intentions in coming to the library, wasn't all that much of an appealing prospect. He really didn't want to have to take stock of how messed up his life was.

"It's alright," he interrupted her. "I guess I'm just…" he rolled his shoulders. "I'm confused, I guess. I mean, how am I supposed to feel? I'm pissed sure, but under that? I don't know. This never happens right? So what're we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know either. I think that's what the mini-Order downstairs is trying to figure out. But does it really matter? Harry, this is a good thing. You have an uncle; hopefully, one who isn't a total whale." Her excitement was sort of contagious and Harry felt an embarrassed, yet pleased smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah." Family. It was a hard concept for him to comprehend. There was a huge gap between observing a family and actually being a part of one. The Dursleys were no standard that Harry could use. He tried to imagine himself as part of a family but couldn't get past the image of his parent's in the Mirror of Erised. A lump formed in his throat and he gave up. Ginny seemed not to notice and appeared content to sit with him in silence.

"What do I do now?" he asked finally.

"Wait," she said immediately. "I know it's probably the last thing you feel like doing but there's nothing for it. They know how to handle stuff like this better than you, me, or even Hermione. As much as it pains me to say this, there's not much else we can do."

* * *

**August 20****th**** 1995**

Waiting was both harder and easier than Harry thought it would be. Harder because there was nothing other than cleaning to keep his mind off things, and easier because at least there was a sort of plan in motion that he was supposed to be a part of.

"We've decided to head back to Gringotts, this time with you," Mad-Eye had informed Harry early on the 19th. "Bill Weasley seemed to think the goblins would be more informative with an actual Potter doing the questioning."

"Why do we need to go to Gringotts at all? I thought they'd already told Bill everything." Harry was eager to be involved and thrilled at the opportunity to leave Number 12, but was curious at the reasoning behind this plan.

"Goblins are very crafty and very clever," Remus said joining the conversation. "It's almost assured that they know more than they're telling. It's also a pretty high possibility that they know where Daniel is, or at the very least know how to contact him. If Daniel left instructions that he was not to be found than they wouldn't break that confidence for a mere curse breaker. You however, are the heir apparent of the Potter family. You have the power to ask questions and expect answers. They might just tell you what we need to know." He ran a hair over his ragged hair. "It can't hurt at any rate."

"Alright," said Harry slowly, "let's go now."

Moody grunted. "Can't go yet. We need Kingsley and Tonks to flesh out a guard for a trip to Diagon and they can't take any time off without alerting," he hesitated, "…other parties. Best we can do is wait for them both to have a day off and go then."

"So, when then?"

"Couple of days," Mad-Eye said and trundled off, his duty done. Remus clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Chin-up. We're going to get this worked out. You'll see." One last smile and he followed after the retired Auror.

That was a day ago and there had been no other mention of the trip, which led Harry to where he was now: sprawled out across his bed, Ron on the floor next to him, polishing the broom his mother had bought for him. Ginny and Hermione were on Ron's bed, Crookshanks between them. The four were trying to reason out this impact in their lives alone.

"You know, I bet he really is dead," was Ron's contribution.

"We've been over this already Ronald," was Hermione's frustrated rejoinder. "If Daniel Potter was really dead than James Potter would have inherited the family Head ring and Harry would have inherited it from him. Neither Sirius nor Professor Lupin saw James with the ring, or heard him mention inheriting the Head title. We know Harry didn't get it and the goblins confirmed that Daniel is alive."

"Yeah but Mr. and Mrs. Potter were under the Fidelius right? Stands to reason that they might not have been getting any mail. They were hidden so the goblins didn't know where they were."

"Fidelius doesn't work like that though Ron," Ginny reminded him. "You don't have to know where someone is to send mail to them. Harry didn't know where you two were this summer and yet he still managed to send you both letters."

"Oh yeah."

Any more conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Weasley calling them down the stairs for lunch. When they reached the kitchen they were surprised to see Tonks seated along with Lupin, Sirius, and the twins.

"Tonks! What're you doing here? I thought you'd already left for work?" Ginny quickly took the available seat next to the young Auror. Harry took the seat across from her, next to his godfather, leaving the Ron and Hermione the seats near the end of the table.

"I did but it was my lunch break and your mum's cooking is better than anything we can pick up in the canteen at the Ministry. Have you tasted their food? No? Good thing, trust me. I ate there once. Never again. I brought my lunch from that moment on." Anything else she might have said was forgone when an owl zipped in through the window in a state of urgency. It alighted in front of Tonks and held aloft its lettered leg, hooting importantly. Tonks sighed, and with a put upon air, lazily untied the letter. The owl immediately flew off.

"Probably Proudfoot," she explained as she unrolled the parchment, "pissed because I'm not around for him to dump his paperwork on." She gave the letter a cursory glance before frowning and reading more carefully. Almost directly, she pushed back her chair and gathered up her things. "It's from Shacklebolt," she explained. "Says something important has happened and I'm needed right away. Can't explain any more than that. Gotta run." And she was gone. The remaining occupants of the kitchen blinked at each other.

"Well," said George, "that cleared that up. I feel so informed."

"Nice to know our Ministry tries so hard to keep us in the loop," agreed Fred.

"Hush, you two," said Mrs. Weasley, waving a carrot at the duo threateningly. "Neither of you have any business with Auror affairs."

"Besides, Shacklebolt would know better than to send sensitive information via owl post. Nymphadora most likely didn't know any more than what she said; it was urgent and they needed her," said Lupin practically.

"Wonder what's so important that Kingsley couldn't have waited 'til tonight to tell her," Sirius wondered aloud. No one had any answer for him.

* * *

**August 21****st**** 1995**

The Auror wasn't seen again until the next morning. When the Gryffindor students stumbled their way into the kitchen they were treated to the sight of Tonks slumped over a plate of eggs and bacon, a half-drunk cup of tea in her hand. Mr. Weasley, just down the table from her, looked almost as tired.

"…sometime on the eighteenth," Tonks was explaining as they walked in. "Funnily enough, there was no record of him in their system and the German Aurors weren't very forthcoming. Seemed to think we'd let them operate in our country without wondering who they were looking for and what his crime was. They wouldn't even tell us why they thought he'd be in England." She yawned widely and in the lull in conversation the teenagers tumbled into open seats. Right away, Ron and the twins began to load their plates, but Harry, Hermione, and Ginny were more interested in the conversation they had walked in on.

"You're working with German Aurors?" was Ginny's question. "Why?"

"Does this have anything to do with that letter you got yesterday?" Harry jumped in. The adults exchanged glances.

"Well, 'working with' might be a bit of an exaggeration. It's more like 'working for', or 'working in spite of'. Minister Fudge, in his infinite wisdom, has granted a detachment of German Aurors authorization to act on English soil and they're basing their operations out of our Auror department." She stretched and her hair flickered orange for a second. "Which is fine for the Senior Aurors, they're almost never around. Us Junior Aurors get slammed with all the paperwork and having these Germans around is turning everything into a big hassle. Not only are we obligated to drop all our own work and attend to their needs if they ask it, but they're taking up too much damn room. Can't even turn around without tripping over one of them."

"Why are they here though," Hermione wanted to know.

"And you still haven't answered my question," Harry said.

Tonks turned to the other adults for acquiescence. Sirius shrugged and nodded, but Molly Weasley looked like she wanted to object. She was stopped by Arthur's hand on hers.

"They'll find out soon enough, dear. Besides, what they don't know can still hurt them." Mrs. Weasley looked highly doubtful about the intelligence of this course of action, but didn't protest when her husband gave Tonks his permission.

With parents and guardians on board, Tonks turned back to the Gryffindors. "A prisoner has escaped from Nurmengard," she said bluntly. Teenage jaws dropped across the room. "Sometime on August eighteenth. One of the regular guards disappeared around the same time. The Germans think she was kidnapped and they don't expect to find her alive. They also seem to believe, for reasons unknown to me, that he is either in England now or will soon make his way here." There was a stunned silence across the kitchen.

"Well, we didn't expect that," was Fred's response.

"What's Nurmengard?" was Harry's.

"Nurmengard," said Remus, "is the German's version of Azkaban. It was originally a prison for Grindiwalds wartime enemies, but after his defeat, it was converted for use by the German Ministry. It's not as large as Azkaban and it doesn't have anything like dementors patrolling its corridors, but the rules in Germany are different and I've heard that the Ministry will, by and large, turn a blind eye to rumors of guards torturing inmates."

"And one of their wacked, homicidal prisoners is escaped and running loose in England?" Ron's voice was noticeably higher by the end of the sentence.

"No idea," said Tonks ruefully. "But they seem to think he is, which is reason enough for Fudge to give them permission to patrol English soil. Besides, what are you frightened of? We already have one sadistic bastard running 'round England with all his murderous minions, what's one more? It's not like he's going to come gunning for you personally."

"On the plus side of this," said Sirius abruptly, "there's been some reshuffling in the Auror department, which gave Kingsley and Tonks tomorrow off. We'll head to Gringotts bright and early, Harry, so be prepared."

Mr. Weasley frowned. "Sirius, you can't honestly be thinking about going. It isn't safe."

"Safe? Safe according to who? Dumbledore?" Mr. Weasley paled at that and Mrs. Weasley clapped a hand to her mouth. Sirius laughed harshly. "That's what I thought."

"Well, I suppose as long as you stay in disguise it wouldn't be that dangerous," Remus interjected, trying to diffuse the charged silence. "We could use a Color-changing Charm on your hair, make it blonde or something, and Tonks can change her looks easily. As long as you're with Kingsley no one should look twice. With this break-out from Nurmengard no one would think it strange that there are more Aurors patrolling than there used to be." He nodded decisively. "It should work. No Death Eater would launch an attack on Gringotts. Harry'll be safe in there. Do you think you can track down Mad-Eye and get him to agree to go tomorrow Tonks?"

"I'm heading to the Ministry now. He might very well be there. If not I can find him."

"Now that's settled, we still have some cleaning to do," announced Mrs. Weasley to general groans. "Eat up dears."

"And that," said Tonks, jumping to her feet and stuffing a last bit of toast into her mouth, "is my cue to leave. Molly breakfast was delicious. And I'll see you tomorrow Harry," she added nodding to the boy.

* * *

"_What?" His voice was frosted steel. The Death Eater on the floor shivered. "You have nothing further to share, then?"_

"_My Lord, the information was secondhand, heard from a Mudblood in the Ministry. I questioned him but he could tell me no more. I pursued the matter into the Auror department, but they-"_

"_You're a disappointment to me Nott," he cut the man off before he rambled. "And I do not suffer disappointments. However…you have served me most faithfully in the past. I will grant you leniency this once. Fail me again and will not find me so merciful."_

"_No, my Lord. Never again." The man, Nott, fervently kissed the hem of his lords robe and backed away trembling. One of his compatriots stepped into his place and knelt._

"_Ah…Severus. I hope you have more to offer than these fools." The 'fool's shifted resentfully but quailed under the deceptively serene gaze of their master. "Tell me, my spy, just what does Dumbledore know about the escaped prisoner of Nurmengard?"_

_

* * *

_

**August _22_**_**nd**** 1995**_

"Now remember, be polite," Remus lectured as he and Harry waited behind Mad-Eye for their turn to enter the Floo. "It's your family and you have the right to ask questions and expect answers, but you can't be insolent about it. There may be some things that they just can't tell you." Mad-Eye stepped through, making it Harry's turn. He took a deep breath, grabbed a pinch of powder for the bowl in Mrs. Weasley's hand, gave his friend's a little wave, and stepped into the grate.

"Diagon Alley," he carefully enunciated and pitched the powder to his feet. With a whoosh of whirling emerald flames and the accompanying nausea, Harry was hurled out of the fire at the Leaky Cauldron and onto the floor at the feet of Kingsley and a tough looking older woman, who Harry took to be Tonks. The big man laughed and reached down, hefting him up as first Remus, then a disguised Sirius made their enviably graceful exits from the Floo. The party headed into the courtyard and out the brick archway, Mad-Eye trailing behind as Kingsley took the lead and Tonks fell into step on Harry's far right. Remus quickly paced up to Harry's unoccupied side to continue where he left off.

"Try to focus your questions. Almost more than they hate anything else, goblins hate inefficiency. Waffling around a subject will only irritate them."

"Won't you be there?" Harry was red-eyed and tired from another nightmarish trip into a Dark Lord's mind. His head felt ten pounds heavier than usual, and his brain felt like oatmeal. The thought of matching wits with goblins in this condition was not an appealing one. He was sort of counting on adult guidance.

"I'll be in the room with you, as will Sirius, but this is your family. The goblins expect you to do most of the talking and to show an informed interest in their answers. Once again, it all goes back to bein-"

"Polite. Yes, Remus. He knows. Relax, would you? Everything is going to be fine. Harry's a smart lad and Merlin knows the goblins think all humans are morons anyway. I don't think Harry is going to be responsible for single-handedly lowering their opinion of the human race any further than it already is." The trip to Diagon was obviously doing Sirius some real good. His expression was brighter and more peaceful than Harry had ever seen it. His blue eyes glittered with joy as he gazed around the crowded market; he was content to be in a place so connected to his childhood.

As they approached the huge, white, wizard's bank, Harry could see Bill Weasley waiting just outside the double doors. He waved when he caught sight of the party.

"I've confirmed they got your letter. They're expecting you," said Bill, referring to the letter Lupin had written the other day to the vault manager of the Potter family. It was a short missive that respectfully requested a meeting on this day. Harry had been required to sign it. A quick message from the bank agreed to the conference.

They were bowed through the double doors and into the spacious front hall.

"We'll wait for you here," Kingsley said. He, Tonks, and Moody spread out through the hall until they were lost to sight. Catching a glimpse of a group of goblins in polished armor and carrying axes almost as tall as they were, Harry agreed with the statement Remus had made the night before; Voldemort would have to be made to stage an attack against Gringotts.

Bill led the three through a maze of stone corridors until they came to a highly polished wooden door. A large unadorned nameplate read simply 'Goldblood', in golden letters. Bill knocked three times and paused.

"Enter," barked a raspy voice. Bill immediately opened the door and hustled the group in. The room they entered was spacious and dark, with golden brown walls and mahogany furniture. Behind a wide desk sat a goblin. It was hard for Harry to determine goblin ages, having never spent much time in their company, and the most he could conclude was that this particular goblin was neither old, nor young, but a somewhat middle-aged male. He gazed at them with a passively. "Please, sit." He motioned to the chairs surrounding the front of his desk. They sat: Harry in the middle, Remus to his left and Sirius to his right. Bill hovered by the door until Goldblood waved him away. He inclined his head in subservience and left, closing the door behind him.

Goldblood placed his hands flat on top of his desk. "Let us get to business," he suggested. "Mr. Potter, I received your letter and have set up this meeting as you asked. You indicated a concern about the situation with your family Head. I recall Curse breaker Weasley asking questions about this very subject on your behalf not a week ago. Enlighten me, what do believe I could tell you now that he has not already conveyed to you?"

"Master Goldblood," Harry began, having already been briefed about goblin etiquette by William Weasley the day before, "I would like to begin by thanking you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice; I know it must have been an inconvenience and I meant no disrespect by it. My reasons for opting to come question you myself are personal. Until very recently I was unaware that I had a Potter uncle, let alone one that was alive." Here he paused to contain himself. He didn't need to fake the emotion in his voice as he continued. "I'm sure you could understand how overwhelming that might be. I'm not questioning the validity of the information you told Mr. Weasley, but due to the nature of the subject I thought it best that any further particulars were communicated face-to-face. So I've come to hear for myself all that you can tell me about Daniel Potter. Barring that, I have just one question for you: can you tell me where he is?" This small address was one Harry had practiced with Remus since it was decided that he'd go to Gringotts in person. The werewolf, ever the eternal instructor, had extended the lecture to include a lesson on goblins in general and Harry had shanghaied the other Hogwarts students into attending these brief sermons. Hermione was the only one who had actually taken notes.

Goldblood's eyes had not left Harry's for the entirety of the speech. His expression was patient. Harry and the two Marauders waited restlessly for the vault manager to speak. At some point during the monologue, Sirius had placed his hand on his godson's knee. It was now clenched tight, betraying the Animagus's nervousness.

The goblin finally settled back into his chair. "Well Mr. Potter, I must apologize. I had taken your request for a meeting to mean that you had disregarded that which I had told the curse breaker. To hear that your appeal was merely a desire to discover the whereabouts of you remaining family for yourself is heartening. Unfortunately, it is my greatest distress to inform you that that is something I cannot help you with." Sirius's hand was painful now, but Harry barely felt it. He had an inkling what was coming next. Goldblood did not disappoint. "Simply put, I do not know where Daniel Potter is."

"But that's impossible," Sirius raged. Remus reached over Harry to hold Sirius into his seat but Padfoot shook him off and leapt up. "He's your client and he's alive. At some point he has to have withdrawn money from the bank. When and where was the last withdrawal?"

Goldblood looked to Harry for permission and seeing it, opened a drawer in his desk. He ruffled around in it for a moment before pulling out a roll of parchment. He studied it for a moment. "The last withdrawal was in Germany, just over fourteen years ago. August 5th 1981 to be exact." He replaced the parchment and for a moment there was silence.

"That's all you can tell us then?" Remus's tone held nothing but defeat and Sirius didn't look much better. This had been their last idea. And it hadn't worked. Harry felt a sting of tears, but blinked hurriedly to erase any trace.

"Yes. I'm sorry," he added unexpectedly. He hesitated but eventually said, "If I may ask, have you tried sending him a letter?"

"Yeah. We tried it a couple times. It didn't work. The owls would just fly in a circle before returning." Sirius ran a hand over his face. Harry suspected he was hiding tears too.

"Interesting," said the goblin politely. "It sounds like a mail-owl charm in use. Without knowing the exact specifications put in place when the charm was applied, it would be almost impossible to work around it. Rough, but effective."

"Yes, it is at that," Remus chuckled wanly. He stood up and pulled Harry to his feet. Sirius was already by the door. "Well, thank you for your time, Master Goldblood. You've been very helpful."

Goldblood nodded. "I am sorry I could not be of more use. An absentee family Head is as bad for Gringotts as it is for the family in question. This is a situation we would all be better off being resolved."

"In time hopefully it will be." And with those final words they left the office. Bill was waiting in the hallway.

"Well?"

"Nothing. He couldn't help us. The only thing we know now that we didn't know before is that he was still around on August 5th in Germany. After that is anybody's guess." Sirius was frustrated and it showed.

Bill grimaced. "I'm sorry. I wish there was something that we could do."

"There's nothing for it. We'll just have to bear with it and see." Sirius's smile was thin, but real. "He's alive. And in the end, that's always a positive." He gave himself a shake. "Now, we're here in the Alley. Let's get some ice cream!"

Mad-Eye, Tonks, and Kingsley were subsequently rounded-up, and, after the disappointing news was relayed, were convinced to make a stop at the ice-cream parlor. Remus and Sirius went inside to place everyone's orders, leaving Harry to sit outside with Kingsley and Tonks. Mad-Eye had chosen to sit in a bench across the way. He claimed the vantage point was better.

Harry was slumped over in his seat, restless and irritable. Tonks and Kingsley, opposite him, were conversing quietly about the Germans in their department. He was just about to join the Marauders inside, when a soft chirping by his dangling hand caused him to look down. There, just under his chair, was a raccoon. It was large, just under 3 feet on its hind legs, but thin. Its fur was charcoal grey and ragged. It looked like a mangy wild animal and Harry would have kicked at it, but for its eyes. They were a dusky blue and shimmered with intelligence. Harry experienced a sudden sense a familiarity when he saw those eyes. It didn't make sense.

And yet he reached down with a trembling hand and, feeling unaccountably vulnerable, rubbed the soft grey head.

* * *

A/N: Well here you are. Hope it was worth the wait.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Just pretend that this is my disclaimer and let's get started.

**Cataclysm**

-tadsfa-

* * *

Chapter 3: By Wisdom and Courage

**August 22****nd**** 1995**

"Harry?" said Tonks, looking bemused. "What are you doing?" She and Kingsley both glanced under the table in time to see the raccoon jump up into Harry's lap. Kingsley immediately stood up and pulled out his wand. Tonks just gaped. "That thing could have rabies! And you're cuddling it?"

"I am not _cuddling_ it!" was Harry's indignant reply.

"It's not rabies I'm worried about," murmured Kingsley, as he pointed his wand at the now hissing coon.

"Don't point that at him," Harry jumped up from his seat, the raccoon clutched in his arms, which prompted Tonks to do the same. The slight ruckus brought Mad-Eye to the table and drew the attention of local patrons. Things looked like they were heading south.

"You like him?" Harry spun around to face the speaker. He was met with a twenty-something red-head in light blue robes, who was giving him a knowing look. "He must like you, to be acting so trusting." Her voice had a slight accent he couldn't place. She studied him for a moment. "You are Harry Potter, correct?" She hadn't once glanced at his scar so he could only assume that his Boy-Who-Lived reputation was such that he was recognizable by looks alone. He was about to answer when Moody stepped in. Obviously the reference to his charge's name unsettled him.

"And you would be, lass?" He limped forward until he stood by Harry's side. The raccoon in Harry's arms vibrated with a silent snarl. Mad-Eye kept his magical eye fixed on it while facing the strange witch.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Natalie." She dipped her head in a short bow, lips turned up in a small smile. "And you are Harry Potter?" she asked pressingly, eyes back on Harry.

"Well…yes, I suppose I am. You need something with me?" Whatever she may have answered was interrupted by the return of Remus and Sirius with the ice cream. The Marauders halted upon catching sight of the situation going down at their table.

Remus eyed the state of affairs and addressed the stranger. "Can we help you with something?" he asked, placing the ice cream he carried on the table and stepping up next to Mad-Eye. He glanced casually over to Harry, only to do a double-take at seeing the raccoon in his arms.

"Your name would be Remus Lupin?"

Lupin hesitated, obviously wondering how he was known by this woman. "It is."

"And those with you. You would vouch for them? Their silence and discretion?"

"That would depend on what you want with us," Remus brought the conversation back around to his question.

The red-head sighed and reached into her pocket. Mad-Eye tensed and leaned forward. "I was hoping I could do this in a more private setting," she said as her eyes darted to the patrons of Florean Fortescue's, many of whom had their eyes on the brewing trouble. "But I don't suppose I could convince you to come with me without some proof of good faith. Will this suffice?" She pulled a heavy ring of silver out of her pocket and took two steps forward to hand it to Remus. The werewolf curiously turned the ring over in his hands, only to suck in a surprised breath. Sirius came forward and took it from him. Studying it, his mouth dropped open.

"Is this…?" He too turned to the young woman. "Who are you? How did you get this?"

"Are those questions you really want answered in such a public place?" Natalie asked while making a small gesture to the raccoon, at which it leapt from Harry's arms into hers. Sirius jerked back, his face pale. "If not, I have a room rented in the Leaky Cauldron. With a few wards thrown up it should be secure enough for an open conversation." She gestured toward the inn, and began walking in that direction. "Care to join me?"

Sirius and Remus immediately followed, Sirius with the ring still tightly clutched in his hand. Harry sent a distrustful looking Moody a pleading glance, before receiving a grudging nod that sent him jogging after Sirius, the Aurors on his heels. Harry thought he heard Tonks mutter something about abandoned ice cream behind him.

"Can I see that ring?" Harry said. Sirius unclenched his fist enough to drop the ring into Harry's waiting hand; Harry studied it as they walked. A cobalt stone, oval in shape and set into the thick silver was the central focus. Embossed onto the stone was a silver crest made up of a large cat holding one paw in the air and standing on top a rising sun. Beneath was the phrase _Consilio et Animis. _Harry mouthed the words to himself, but could make no sense of them; he slipped the ring into his pocket. As they entered the Leaky Cauldron and followed Natalie up the stairs, Harry questioned Sirius about the ring.

"You don't recognize it?" Sirius asked, his voice low. "No, I suppose you wouldn't. Harry, that's a Potter family ring." Harry choked at that. His godfather nodded significantly at the woman holding a door open for them. "See why we're following her?" When they reached the door, Mad-Eye pushed passed them and entered first, after giving Natalie a suspicious look which she returned. Remus followed Moody and Sirius pulled Harry into the room after them with Tonks, Kingsley, and Natalie bringing up the rear. Inside was large space, with a bed, a couch, and two armchairs. Mad-Eye and Tonks lined up against the back wall, next to the bed. Kingsley leaned next to the door, halfway between Natalie and Harry. Natalie, under Mad-Eye's severe gaze, swept her wand about the room a few times, muttering under her breath. Anytime her wand tip came too close to being pointed in Harry's direction, Remus and Sirius on either side of him would tense. Done with her warding, she returned her wand to her pocket and gave her audience a solemn look, focusing mostly on Remus and Harry.

"You recognized the ring," she said quietly. "Therefore, you must know the significance." All was dead silent in the room. She took a breath and turned back to Lupin. "Before I go any farther, I must ask you once again if you can vouch for your companions. Or," she mused," I suppose Harry's word will do just as well." She glanced between them for a beat. "Will you give it?"

"Why the secrecy? If this is what I think it is," Lupin's voice roughened as his eyes darted to the raccoon incased in Natalie's arms, "why hide?"

"It's a fair question," Kingsley said softly from his position next to them.

Natalie ignored them both. "Your word," she insisted.

Lupin took a harsh breath but before he could give either answer, Sirius stepped forward.

"I can't pretend to understand your need for all this security," Sirius began honestly. Harry wondered if he was the only one who noticed his godfather was speaking to the raccoon and not the girl. "But if it's really important I'm willing to offer some assurance of my own. And maybe this is a trick but maybe it's not. I'm hoping you'll be willing to trust us and explain if I give you a reason." Something in his tone made Mad-Eye rumble a warning, 'be careful…', but it was too late. With a flick of his wand, Padfoot cancelled the charms disguising his appearance. Golden-brown hair turned black, yellow eyes turned bright blue mixed with grey, and his jaw sharpened. A few seconds was all it took to complete the reversal and reveal the convict, Sirius Black.

"Sirius, you fool," Tonks moaned in despair but her cousin stood firm and ignored her. Natalie and the raccoon stared.

"I am Sirius Black, a convicted criminal, wanted by the British Ministry for a crime I didn't commit. Remus Lupin is a good friend and Harry Potter is my godson." He gestured to the two and then jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "The young lady behind me is my cousin, Auror Nymphadora Tonks. Next to her is Alastor Moody, an ex-Auror and the man responsible for catching half the Death Eaters in Azkaban. The last man is Kingsley Shacklebolt, also an Auror and a good friend." Sirius waved his hand across the room. "They've never turned me in, never threatened me, and have in fact protected me from detection. I literally trust them with my life every day. So yes, I can say I vouch for them." He stared down the raccoon. "Is my word good enough for you, Daniel?"

Natalie sucked in a breath, but in the same moment the raccoon dropped out of her arms and onto the floor. Harry had been quietly expecting it, of course, since meeting the raccoon in the Alley. Yet as he watched the raccoon's form shudder into a man's, he still felt his heart jerk into his throat. Behind him, Harry heard Tonks stumble and trip in surprise as Daniel Potter stood up to face them.

He wore a faded black shirt under an equally faded and patched red jacket. His trousers were a pale grey. Battered black boots completed the ensemble. His hair, ragged as the fur of his animagus form, was also the same dark grey. And under smoky blue eyes he sported a contented smile.

"Your word, Sirius," he said, "is certainly good enough for me. I trust that despite the appalling rumors surrounding you, my brother's old friend would not betray me." He turned to the others in the room. "For those who don't know, my name is Daniel Potter, James's older brother. And this," he gestured to the young women at his side, "is my daughter." He nodded to the girl and she gave a small huff, before flicking her wand at herself. Red hair turned a deep chocolate and brown eyes melted to match her father's.

There was a stunned silence. Remus broke it. "She can't be your daughter. I mean she looks as old as Tonks! And in any case, James would have known if you had had a kid. We would have known."

"That's what you want to know? For Merlin's sake, Remus, the man's been missing for fourteen years and you're wondering about him having a kid?" Tonks's voice was incredulous as she pointed out this fact.

Daniel broke into a coughing laugh. "I can assure you Remus, she's mine." He glanced around the room, taking in everyone's expressions. "Maybe we should sit down. I can try to explain everything, but it might take awhile, so I hope you don't have anywhere to be anytime soon."

Sirius grimaced. "Actually we do. We were only supposed to be in Diagon for a short while for a quick bank trip. Stopping at the ice cream parlor was pushing it. We'll be expected back soon."

Kingsley shrugged himself away from the wall. "There is no need for me to be here any longer. I'll go back and inform them that all is well." He made as if to walk to the door, but Natalie was suddenly there, wand in hand.

"Going to leave? Planning on telling someone about all of this are you?" She jabbed her wand at him threateningly and Kingsley drew his own in response, although he kept it aimed at the floor. "You're an Auror, working for the Ministry. Sirius Black may trust you and my father may trust him, but so far I have no reason to trust either of you. So either rethink your leaving or give me some cause to let you go."

There was a slight pause. Mad-Eye was frowning and several times looked as if he wanted to step-in, but a sharp look from Remus kept him silent. "I'm willing to swear a vow stating that I will not tell anyone about either you or Daniel Potter without your leave," Kingsley offered finally. Natalie raised her eyebrows to her father across Shacklebolt's shoulder.

As the Auror's offer was contemplated, Harry marveled over the ease at which the group was accepting Daniel Potter's reappearance into their midst. Kingsley, Tonks and Mad-Eye were maybe understandable given the fact that they didn't know the man personally, but Sirius and Lupin were another matter. Harry had been expecting tears and screaming. Or at least some hugging. Not this calmly debated conversation about Kingsley's trustworthiness.

Harry himself felt wholly off-center. He stared at the man, his uncle (his **uncle**), comparing him mentally to pictures of James Potter, looking for similarities, noting differences. If things had turned out differently, would this have been the one to raise him, in place of the unfit Dursleys and his convict godfather?

Useless question. Almost as bad as asking himself how his life would have turned out if his parent's had survived. The only thing that mattered was the way things were now. And right now what mattered was finding out where his uncle Daniel had been all his life. And the part Dumbledore played.

Harry came out of his revere as Natalie accepted Kingsley's proposal. The Auror made his vow, stating that he would never knowingly reveal the existence of the two new Potters without their express permission on pain of magic, and was summarily released. As the door clicked shut behind him, the tension in the room shifted.

"Well," said Daniel cheerily, "shall we sit?"

Sirius snorted at his tone, but nonetheless they all found places to sit (except for Moody who stayed near the back of the room). Once all the shuffling had stopped they faced each other in silence. Remus broke it.

"Where have you been these last fourteen years?" he asked abruptly.

"Prison," was Daniel's equally clipped reply. "I assume you have all heard about the escape from Nurmengard?" He smiled grimly. "That was me." The group stared at him, Mad-Eye included, stunned.

"Wait," said Sirius suddenly, "I think I've heard this story before."

"I think you've lived this story before," was Tonks's rejoinder. Natalie and Daniel watched the byplay with interest. Something suddenly seemed to occur to Tonks. She blinked at Natalie. "You…you're the missing Auror! The one everyone thinks is dead!"

Natalie nodded shortly. "Yes, I am." She didn't elaborate.

Remus interrupted their conversation. "Prison," he said uncertainly, as if hoping to be corrected.

"Yes."

"But why?" Remus sported the look Harry fancied he wore upon learning that Sirius had been arrested: devastated and surprisingly young.

Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, a gesture Harry recognized as one he himself often performed. He was strangely glad they had at least this one habit in common. It made him feel more connected to this stranger, beyond blood and bone.

"It's a long story, one I'm not sure can be entirely told within the time your friend gives us. But…I'll tell you what I can." He fiddled with his jacket a moment. "I'm not sure where to begin…" he said haltingly.

"Dumbledore," was Harry's answer and his uncle turned to face him as a human for the first time. It seemed incredible that they hadn't actually spoken directly to each other yet.

"Dumbledore?" Daniel's voice was dark. "Why?"

"You don't like him. You don't trust him either; you never have from what I've been told. I'd like to know why." Harry kept his voice firm but respectful. After all, he didn't want his uncle to think he was an impudent brat.

And it seemed to work. Said uncle wasn't dismissing his request and turning back to his brother's old friends. He eyed his nephew carefully as if determining whether or not the knowledge would go to waste. Looking for confirmation, he turned to Sirius and Remus to see blatant interest on their faces as well. With a huffing sigh, he began his explanation.

"I suppose the answer to that starts in my first year of Hogwarts. Seeing as I was the only son and heir of a wealthy pure-blood family, I was quickly befriended by those to whom such things are important. Many of these children had parents who went to school with the Dark Lord, then known as Tom Riddle. Their parents were the first generation of Death Eaters and through their children I heard rumors of the rise of a Dark Lord beyond the scale of Grindelwald." Daniel shook his head in remembrance. "When I was fourteen an older classmate of mine returned from Christmas break with a Dark Mark tattooed onto his arm. He began actively recruiting the pure-bloods and half-bloods of more prominent families with blood purity propaganda. He assured those he spoke with that behind his words was a great power backing the movement. It was obvious to any who spoke with him and kept up with the news that this New Lord was creating an army with the purpose of a vicious revolution. Those deemed as having inferior blood would have no place in the vision of the world this Lord planned on creating."

"We all know about Voldemort's rise to power," Sirius interrupted. "How does this have anything to do with your hatred of Dumbledore?"

"It's all part of the same story. Be patient," was Daniel's calm reply. "Now, hearing that a new Dark Lord was coming into prominence so soon after the last was put down, I decided to research the downfall of Dark Lords, in particular Grindelwald's, just in case Voldemort should attempt to bring his plans to fruition by main force."

He grimaced and rolled his shoulders. Harry noted he seemed to be favoring his right one slightly. "I found plenty of information about Dark Lords from other countries and British Lords centuries dead, but there was no information of worth about Grindelwald. Even scouring the Restricted section turned up little about either his early life or his fall. As the world grew darker and Voldemort gained in power, Grindelwald became my obsession. I questioned my professors relentlessly but the only thing they could tell me was what I already knew: he was a German wizard who became a Dark Lord and was defeated by Dumbledore. In my last year of schooling I decided to take my questions to Dumbledore himself."

"Let me guess," said Tonks sarcastically, "he was less then helpful."

Daniel chuckled. "Well, yes. The basic premise of his whole answer was that Grindelwald was dead and incapable of harming anyone anymore, so what did it matter how it came about? He scoffed away all my concerns about a new Dark Lord and quickly ushered me from his office."

He stretched his legs in front of him for a moment. Every eye in the room was on him, entranced by his story.

"Here's what I don't understand," Remus announced into the momentary silence. "Fawkes is a phoenix and no phoenix would ever consent to keep company with a dark wizard. So if Dumbledore is…is as…corrupt as you seem to be implying he is, than how can you explain Fawkes's presence at his side?"

"That's easily explained, if not easily done," Natalie said. She had spent most of the conversation sitting motionlessly by her father, eyes on Harry. Now as she spoke, she shifted forward in her seat and glanced away from her young cousin. "He used a binding ritual."

"A binding ritual? On a phoenix?" Remus' voice was doubtful. It was plain that he didn't believe her.

Natalie seemed to expect the skepticism. "Hard to believe, I know, but it's true. The ritual Dumbledore must have used is similar to the old marriage rituals pure-blood families would use to bind two unwilling participants together for life. To bind a phoenix you must have in your procession phoenix ash, powdered diamond, and a blade made of glass. You also have to know the words of binding, which are far from common knowledge. Finally you need an object for a focus, something to hold the binding in place and act as a medium between the phoenix's magic and the magic of bonded wizard. "

"And you think Dumbledore used this ritual to bind Fawkes to him?" Harry was not disbelieving, rather he was genuinely curious. He'd always heard that phoenixes were incredibly powerful magical creatures, capable of most anything. To hear that one could be brought low by base trickery was an eye opener.

Daniel smiled at his inquisitive tone. "The ritual can only be performed on a newly reborn phoenix. Provided he caught Fawkes in time, then yes, this is the only explanation that makes sense."

"We've gone a bit off track, I think," Mad-Eye sounded off from the back of the room. Everyone swiveled their heads around to stare at him; they'd all forgotten that he was even there.

Daniel started. "Oh, yes, of course. Although I do believe I've mostly answered your question, Harry." He caught his nephews' eye. "You had wanted to know why I hate Dumbledore so much." Harry nodded minutely. Daniel glanced around at everyone. "Does anyone have any other questions I should address or would you rather I continued as linearly as possible?"

"Linearly will work for now, I believe," said Remus.

"Well, conveniently enough what's been said so far is really the beginning of my story, so no time's been wasted. Now, where was I?" He ruffled his hair again. "Ah, yes. Well after my pointless conversation with the Headmaster, I was left still searching for answers. Happily for me an acquaintance of my fathers had offered me a job in the Department of Mysteries, pending on my NEWT scores. I decided to take him up on his offer for two reasons: number one was because the Department houses the most complete magical library in all of Great Britain and is one of the greatest in the entire magical world. I believed that it was the perfect place to continue my research. The second reason was the Dark Lord. I wanted to preemptively insert myself into a place where he would be sure to situate followers of his own on his rise to the top. The Department of Mysteries holds many artifacts that are not fully understood; some are powerful, most are dangerous. It was an obvious choice for a man like Voldemort to attempt to infiltrate."

"And you just decided to attempt to counter Voldemort's moves yourself?" Sirius looked almost mad.

"I did go to Dumbledore with my concerns," Daniel reminded them. "When he completely disregarded me I worried that there was going to be nothing to stop the emergence of another Dark Lord; at this point I still believed that, despite his misdirection regarding his defeat of Grindelwald, Dumbledore was the hero of the century and the best hope our world had."

"But you lost that belief in the Department." It was not a question.

Daniel nodded at Tonks. "That was where I learned about the phoenix binding ritual. Dumbledore having a phoenix for a companion bothered me too, so I made it a point to research that as well." A scowl. "The results weren't comforting."

"I could imagine," Remus remarked.

Harry frowned. "But Sirius and Remus said you quit working in the Department of Mysteries right before my dad started at Hogwarts. If it was such a great place to do research on Dumbledore and keep an eye on Voldemort why'd you leave?"

Daniel's scowl was melted away by a fond smile and his eyes grew very soft. "I fell in love and got married." It was simply said but there was a wealth of emotion behind the common words. Harry glanced at Natalie; in contrast to her father, she looked heart-wrenched.

Sirius blinked rapidly. "Wow. Er…well kinda obvious considering your kid…but still that's huge."

Remus stepped in when it became apparent that Sirius was fumbling for something to say. "Congratulations. Although I must ask, how come you never told anyone?"

Daniel laughed. "Who said I never told anyone? James knew he was present at the wedding; I had told Mother I was taking him to work with me for the day. And I assume he'd have told Lily after they were married." He shrugged.

"James knew? He never said anything." Remus and Sirius looked forlorn.

"Well I had told him to keep it as quiet as possible, so I imagine he felt he couldn't tell you without breaking my confidence."

Tonks seemed confused. "Why was it so important to you that no one knew you were married to…whoever it was? Who was she anyway?"

Natalie seemed irritated by this deviation in the story but Daniel answered Tonks anyway. "Her name was Samantha Archer and she was a muggle."

"How the hell did you manage to meet and marry a muggle," Sirius interjected. "You were as much of a sheltered pure-blood child as I was."

"Through my work," Daniel said. "See when I was working as an Unspeakable my superior was this wizard named Mordecai. One of his parents was a muggle and he had dreams of combining muggle technology and wizarding magic. Accordingly, he spent a lot of time in the muggle world and he had me do the same. When I was twenty-four I found myself on one of Mordecai's ordered excursions. I was strolling along a busy road and before I knew it I was almost run over by a man who had stolen a young women's purse. I held the thief until the owner arrived and introduced herself. After a local police man had taken the man away she invited me for a cup of tea as a sort of thank-you and well…" he trailed off, lost in the memory. He shook himself back to the present. "We were married a year later and two years after that, just before Natalie was born and James started school, I quit working as an Unspeakable and we started traveling."

Mad-Eye jumped in. "Well this is all lovely background information, but the only thing I think it's important for us to know now is how you ended up in prison. And how you escaped. I'm assuming it has something to do with Dumbledore?"

Daniel turned to Mad-Eye and opened his mouth, presumably to answer, but as he did a silver lynx flew through the wall and landed on the floor.

The lynx shook itself and stood up straight. It opened its jaw and from its throat emerged Kingsley's voice. _'Dumbledore has called a meeting of the Order. He will be here soon. Many Order members have arrived. Mundungus has already asked about you Sirius, but Arthur has put off his interest in your whereabouts for the most part. You have some time, but you must not delay.'_ And the lynx faded away. The group glanced at each other in frustration.

"Well I suppose we'll have to put a pain check on this conversation," was Tonks' glib response.

"But we will get the full story," said Remus firmly, holding Daniel's gaze.

"Of course," said the oldest Potter.

"Soon," Sirius insisted as he and Remus stood, pulling Harry up with them.

"As soon as can be safely arranged," was Daniel's amendment. Sirius nodded his agreement. They paused awkwardly for a moment. Sirius broke the impasse by engulfing Daniel in a hug. Laughing, Daniel pulled himself free and clasped Remus' shoulder. At last he turned to his nephew. Remus and Tonks were suddenly busy with taking down the wards and Sirius and Natalie apparently needed to say a protracted goodbye. Mad-Eye, the only one not interested in giving the long-lost family members some privacy, kept his magical eye on the pair.

Harry and Daniel stood in an uncomfortable silence for a second. Finally Daniel held out his hand with a self-conscious grin. Relived, Harry clasped it and they shook. Uncle regarded nephew with a contemplative look before quickly tugging him into a brief embrace.

Daniel released him after a moment but left one hand on Harry's shoulder momentarily. "I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to speak privately Harry," he said softly. "There are many things that need to be said and the kind of discussion we could do with is the sort that can't be rushed. I have a lot to apologize for, but my greatest regret is my absence all these years from the lives of you and my daughter. When we finally get this all worked I hope you'll be willing to accept me as a part of your life."

Feeling suddenly embarrassed, Harry nodded shyly. Daniel gave him a quick smile and walked him to the door where the rest of the group was suddenly ready and waiting to go. Harry nodded uncertainly to Natalie and his cousin beamed back at him.

"Oh!" Remembering something, Harry stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the Potter ring. He held it out to his cousin. "Here, you wouldn't want to forget this."

Natalie shook her head. "Keep it, it's yours by right." She smiled at his bewildered look. "It's the Heir ring. It's supposed to be worn by the next in line Potter head, which is you."

Harry frowned. "You're older than I am. Shouldn't it be you?"

Sirius answered this one. "Traditionally, family titles can only be held by men since women, by custom, take their husband's surname upon marriage. Women only hold Head titles if there are no male children to assume the position."

Daniel nodded to back up Sirius's and his daughters words. "It's yours Harry. Index finger of your right hand. Wear it proudly."

Hesitantly, Harry slipped it onto the indicated finger. It immediately sized itself to fit. Harry rubbed the ring gently, a bubble of warmth pressing his throat closed. A thought popped into his head and he forced the words passed the lump in his throat. "What does it mean, this phrase?" He held his fist up and tapped the ring to clarify his meaning.

"_Consilio et Animis?_" Daniel asked. "It's the Potter family motto. It means 'By Wisdom and Courage' in Latin."

"A worthwhile belief for all to follow," Remus noted.

"Better than 'Always Pure," Sirius quoted in disgust. Daniel smiled slightly.

Mad-Eye huffed in irritation. "Yes, yes it's all so touching. We need to get back to headquarters pronto, unless you want Albus to come looking for us. I could only imagine how he would react to seeing Sirius walking about in broad daylight." He stumped his way out the door, Tonks behind him.

Daniel's head jerked up at this pronouncement and he inhaled deeply. "Be very careful," he said to those still remaining. "I know I didn't get a chance to finish telling you everything you need to know but you must trust me. Beyond hiding the truth about his defeat of Grindelwald and binding a phoenix against its will, Dumbledore is _evil_. He cannot be trusted in anything. Whether you believe me or not, you cannot tell him my whereabouts."

"Relax," Sirius soothed him. "We have no intentions of telling that meddler anything. We had already determined that Dumbledore wasn't entirely kosher before we spoke with you, so while your warning is appreciated, it's not necessary."

Daniel calmed and gave Sirius a look. "I'll trust you can keep your Auror friends to your promise?" He waited for confirmation before continuing. "And Sirius, I expect that when the time comes you and I will have a long talk about my brother's death and the rumors of your role in it?" Sirius shifted and signaled his agreement. Daniel nodded to him. "Good."

"You better get a move on," Natalie said. "We've taken up too much time."

"How will we meet up with you again?" Remus wanted to know.

"Look for an owl. I'll drop the mail-owl charm so you can respond. Now go!" Natalie pushed them out the door and, after one last round of hand-shakes and back-clapping, out they went. The lock clicked shut behind them. Sirius hurriedly re-charmed his appearance and they trooped down the stairs, meeting Moody and Tonks near the fireplace at the bottom.

With a cheerful wave at Tom the barkeep, Tonks hurled a handful of Floo powder into the flames. With a clear yet quiet declaration of 'Grimmauld Place' Tonks was whisked away in flickering green fire. Sirius followed leaving Harry, Remus and Mad-Eye to bring up the rear. After being waved forward, Harry took up a pinch of powder and cast himself into the fire.

"Grimmauld Place," he annunciated and was quickly twisted away in a blaze of heat. At the end of the connection he was shot out of the fireplace in the drawing room of Grimmauld Place. Waiting for him were Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Harry quickly pulled himself off the floor and out of the way, just in time for Remus and then Mad-Eye to step out of the grate.

"Almost everyone's in the kitchen right now," piped up Hermione immediately. "The meeting's supposed to begin as soon as Dumbledore arrives, which might be any minute now."

Remus and Mad-Eye promptly set out leaving Harry with his friends. For a moment there was silence.

"So, what happened? Why'd you all stay so late? And why'd Kingsley come back before the rest of you?" That was Ron, blunt as ever. Harry actually appreciated this direct approach more than he usually did.

Yet he hesitated to answer. By Ron's lack of knowledge it was obvious Kingsley's oath had held and the last thing Harry wanted was to accidentally let slip information his uncle was trying to keep quiet. However, he also didn't want to keep secrets from his friends. Torn, he finally settled on divulging the barest minimum for now. "I'll tell you what I can but…not here. People walk pass the door all the time and someone could be listening in, we'd never know. Better to talk somewhere more secure."

"Where, one of our rooms? The library?" Hermione's brow furrowed in thought; it was obvious she was trying to remember all the spots in Number 12 where they might have a conversation without being disturbed.

"The attic?" Ginny offered. "No one ever goes up there. If anyone's looking for us, that'd be the last place they check."

"There's nothing dangerous up there, right?" Harry said doubtfully. He wasn't sure how much cleaning the others had done before he'd arrived.

Ginny shook her head. "No, Sirius and Professor Lupin cleared it out about a week before you got here. I haven't gone up there yet but it's been cleaned."

"Good enough. Let's go." So saying, Harry eased open the drawing room door and glanced about. Seeing no one, he stepped out onto the landing and headed up the stairs silently, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione behind him. When they reached the top floor Ginny darted ahead of Harry and slapped a discolored portion of the wall. Immediately, the ceiling above them creaked, a section sliding open and a rickety staircase descended to their feet. A flutter of cold air followed. They shivered and stared at the dark hole above them.

Ron snorted. "This was a brilliant idea. Nice one, Ginny."

"Oh shut up, Ron. I didn't hear you making any suggestions."

"Will you two be quiet," Harry snapped. "We didn't want anyone to come looking for us, remember, and your fighting isn't helping."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not going up there if I can't see anything. Anyone got a candle?"

"I'll do one better." Ginny turned to Harry. "Would this be something you mind Fred and George hearing?"

Harry weighed his answer. "No, I suppose not. I don't know if they'd be interested in this though. I'm not going to be able to tell you or them very much," he warned them.

"Considering they're not going to be able to learn anything otherwise, I think you're underestimating how interested they'll be." She turned back down the stairs. "Back in a sec."

And she was. Only a few moments later, creaking steps announced her return with twins in tow. Fred bounded up to Harry, beaming.

"Harry, old boy, our dear darling sister tells us you have some interesting news to share."

Harry rolled his eyes. "As long as you lot don't go spilling it to anyone. But actually we needed you two to give us some light up there." He jerked his head at the attic.

George clutched his chest dramatically. "Alas, my brother! Cast aside but for our magic!"

Fred blinked down at his twin from the top of the ladder. "Are you coming?" he asked, pulling himself the rest of the way into the attic; Harry and the rest followed.

Once inside with the attic door shut, Fred lit his wand and held it aloft so the group could examine the room. The air was stale but dry, and carried the faint scent of dust although the attic itself was clean. The floor and walls had been wiped down and all the old furniture and boxes had been shoved to the back in a disorderly manner.

"Lovely spot," George commented as he busied himself transforming several wooden crates and trunks into rough approximation of couches. Fred conjured some candles and holders, while Harry paced and planned out what he was going to say.

The twins finished quickly and everyone selected a seat, eyes attentively on The-Boy-Who-Lived, who had paused uncertainly in front of them.

"Can one of you cast an Imperturbable Charm?" he asked the legal aged wizards.

"Not as such," Fred said apologetically. "Otherwise we'd know how to get past the charm on the kitchen door."

"However," George interrupted, "we do know a spell that's almost as good. It won't stop anyone from hearing anything or coming in but it will warn us when someone trips the charm." George hopped up and kicked open the door. He slipped down the ladder and a moment later was back up, in his seat. "Piece of cake. If anyone trips the spell my wand'll vibrate giving us time to change the subject."

"Useful spell, that. Thanks," said Harry hurriedly, hoping to head off Hermione from interrogating the twins on their spell repertoire. He mentally ran through what he wanted to say. "You all know why I went to Diagon Alley today, right?" Nods all around; Harry ran a hand through his hair and took a seat in the chair behind his legs. "Well the goblin in charge of my vault, Goldblood, he couldn't tell us much. The only thing he could say for sure was that my uncle made his last withdrawal on August 5th, in Germany. Other than that he didn't know anything. He couldn't even tell us how to contact Daniel." A pause as Harry struggled to articulate his next thought.

"Sucks mate," said Ron after a moment of silence. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry smiled briefly at the two but continued his story. "When we realized we weren't going to get anything more from the goblin's we left and Sirius convinced Mad-Eye we should stop for ice cream. While I was waiting outside this raccoon came up to me…" Here Harry paused, acutely aware of the oath Kingsley had made and of his uncle's desire for discretion. Despite having given it a small amount of thought, Harry was still uncertain as to whether he should tell them everything or give a vague overview. He eyed his friends. He could trust them. He did trust them.

"If I tell you this, you can't tell anyone. Not your parents or your brothers or anyone in the Order or people at school. No one, but especially not Dumbledore or anyone who works for him." Harry gazed ferociously at Hermione who looked indignant at his lack of trust that Harry seemed to be showing. It was a mark of how far Dumbledore had lost esteem that Hermione didn't speak up on the Headmaster's behalf.

"We won't tell anyone," said George immediately. Fred nodded his agreement, which Ron and Ginny quickly seconded. Harry turned to Hermione.

She bit her lip. "Harry I'm not sure you hiding important information from Sirius is the best thing."

"Sirius knows everything already. Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-Eye too. They were there for it all. Kingsley knows some."

Hermione looked reassured. "As long as there's someone for you to talk to, then I'm not going to tell anyone. Now what exactly am I not telling anyone?"

Harry gave them all one last searching look. "It was Daniel," he said abruptly. Ginny's eyes widened and Hermione's mouth dropped open. In unison the twins eyebrows went up.

Ron, however, looked confused. "What was Daniel?"

"The raccoon," said Harry impatiently. "The one that came up to me in Diagon. It was my uncle the whole time. And he had a daughter…" he trailed off here, lost in thought.

"How'd you know the raccoon was your uncle?" Ginny wanted to know.

"Sirius had said before that Daniel was a raccoon animagus. But I knew because he showed us." He breathed out heavily. "His daughter was there. She introduced herself as Natalie and convinced us to come with her by showing Professor Lupin and Sirius this ring." He pulled it off his finger and handed it to Hermione, who examined it curiously. "It's the Potter family Heir ring. I guess seeing it made Sirius and Lupin curious enough to trust her. We went all the way back to the room she rented in the Leaky. That's' where the raccoon transformed into Daniel. He was the one who told us Natalie was his daughter."

"Natalie Potter," said Hermione softly. "Your cousin."

"Yeah, I suppose she is."

"Harry," said Fred, twisting the ring in his hand, "what'da these words mean?"

"The Potter family motto," said Harry with a touch of pride. "It means 'By Wisdom and Courage'." He accepted the ring back from George and slipped it onto its proper place.

"Nice," commented Ron.

Harry accepted Ron's assertion with a grin. "Right, so anyway. Um…Daniel turned back into a human and that's about when Kingsley left. Daniel said telling his story would take awhile so Kingsley came back to let everyone know we hadn't been attacked or anything just 'cause we were late."

"Yeah we heard that," Ron said. "Kingsley just said something came up and you guys might be gone much later than expected."

"I'm surprised your uncle let Kingsley leave just like that given his apparent desire for secrecy," Hermione said in surprise.

"Kingsley made an oath on his magic or something, that he wouldn't give away Uncle Daniel or Natalie without their okay. To be honest I didn't really understand that part. Really the whole conversation was a bit over my head. But the main point I got out of it was that Dumbledore is evil, just like we knew he was."

"We didn't _know_ anything," was Hermione's weak defense. "And I bet your uncle didn't _know_ for sure either. What was his proof?"

"Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix."

"Normally having a phoenix's favor is seen as a good thing," said Ginny lightly.

"Well normally the phoenix isn't bound against its will. Daniel thinks Dumbledore didn't some sort of Dark ritual to bind Fawkes's magic to his own or something. He said it's the only way Dumbledore would ever get a phoenix for a companion."

"That's an explanation, not proof of wrongdoing," Hermione said in frustration. "We can't accuse people of dark magic without any evidence. I can't imagine that you would blindly believe whatever a stranger told you even if it is your uncle. He's been gone for the past fourteen years of your life Harry. Did he have a good explanation for that?"

"He was in prison," said Harry stiffly. "He was innocent, just like Sirius, and he broke out." There was a pause as everyone assimilated this new information.

"He didn't happen to have come out of Germany, did he?" Fred asked casually.

Harry responded in the same even tone. "Why yes, actually, he did."

"And the missing Auror?"

"Natalie."

"Ah. So, not dead?"

"Apparently not."

"Excellent."

"Quite."

More might have been said but at this point George twisted and pulled out his wand which was very faintly humming.

"Someone's on their way up," he muttered. "We need a new conversation."

Ginny promptly turned to face Harry. "Did the twins tell you about their new line of joke products?"

"No," said Harry, playing along.

"Really," said George delightedly. Harry was sure most of his enthusiasm did not need to be faked. "Well we'd hate to leave anyone out."

Fred jumped in. "Our newest invention-"

"-still haven't got it quite worked out yet-"

"-the Skiving Snackbox. A treat that'll make you ill enough to get out of class-"

"-but not ill enough to warrant a trip to the Hospital Wing."

"We've got a whole range in the works. Puking Pastilles, Nosebleed Nougats, Fainting Fancies…"

There was no telling how long the duo could have continued on this vein but they were cut off by a clatter of footsteps on the floor below. Groaning came from the rickety ladder and two sharp raps on the attic door told the group that their hideout had indeed been discovered. The trap door popped open and a spiky purple head poked itself through.

"There you lot are," Tonks announced with relief. She gazed about the room curiously. "Gods, what a place for a conversation. You kids looking to suffocate yourselves or something? Not that I care but if you do happen to die of asphyxiation Harry, I'd like your Firebolt."

"Need something Tonks?" Harry tried not to betray the irritation he was feeling. He genuinely liked the quirky Auror.

"Meetings over. Thought you'd lot might like dinner."

"Over already? That was a fast one. Normally they go on half the night."

"Well we didn't do much. Just a lot of talking."

"Oh yeah?" said Harry in interest. "About what?"

Tonks grimaced. "You know I can't tell you that. However," she said significantly, "I will say that our mutual new acquaintance was mentioned in general terms, in reference to his recent change of address. We were told that he might be unfavorable company to keep."

"That's what they said about Sirius," said Ginny decisively, "and now I'm living with the guy and more worried about going to school under the watch of a Headmaster who is starting to look more sinister every day."

Tonks hummed thoughtfully. "Well they tell us in the Auror Corps to never trust on appearances alone. I guess we were all taken in by Dumbledore's grandfatherly demeanor." She glanced down at the landing below her. "We can be philosophical later. Right now food is waiting and I want a lot of it."

"Hear, hear," chimed Ron enthusiastically. And with that the mood was broken. Tonks backed down the steps leaving room for the rest to follow. George was the last one down after extinguishing the candles his twin had conjured.

The short journey down the stairs was rather quiet; most were preoccupied with all they had learned throughout the day. As they reached the bottom floor, an unfamiliar man strolled into the entranceway from the direction of the kitchen. He was of average height and rather lean with a nose that looked as if had been broken recently and badly reset. He gazed at the young party curiously.

"'Ello there, Tonks," he called. "These the kids you were lookin' for?"

She raised a brow. "Are you expecting any other schoolchildren to be hiding in this waste-heap of a house?"

"Not my place to say, I just got here." He swept into an exaggerated bow. "The name is Isaak Rambert and I am delighted to make your acquaintance." He straightened up and waited expectantly for a name exchange but Tonks ushered her charges pass the man and towards the kitchen.

"Shouldn't you be back at the Ministry by now?" she called back to Rambert. "I know you work the night shift." There was an unintelligible mutter from behind them but Tonks didn't stop to decipher it.

Hermione frowned at the Metamorphmagus. "What's the rush Tonks? Why'd you hurry us away from Rambert?"

She began slowly. "Some people, Hestia Jones and Elphias Doge for example, are impossible to turn away from their high view of Dumbledore. They've spent their entire lives believing that Dumbledore is the fount of all things Light and changing that belief after so long would mean an overhaul of their entire being. More people than you would think are willing to thoroughly lie to themselves if the truth makes them too uncomfortable."

"And Rambert?" Ginny questioned.

"Might very well be one of those people. He was a Hufflepuff a few years ahead of me and was a big Dumbledore worshipper." She stopped in front of the kitchen door. "His adoration might have tapered off since then but I doubt it considering the Headmaster played a key role in helping him get his job."

"So why does that make him dangerous to talk to?"

"Familiarity breeds complacency. You have secrets that need to be protected and I don't want there to be a chance of you getting chummy with someone who would jump on any piece of information you let slip just to use it against you."

"Well, there go my plans for becoming bosom buddies with Snape," Fred sighed pathetically.

"That," said Tonks, finally opening the kitchen door, "is something I would have suggested you abandon eons ago."

* * *

A/N: Whew… A chapter that's been a long time coming. Sorry for the wait. This one was a pain to write. It's mostly dialogue, which I always feel a little awkward writing. For some reason I find it hard to get the characters to say what I want, the way I want. I ended up writing a good portion of this, erased chunks of it, rewrote most of what was left, and then trashed the whole thing and started over. It still feels a little off and a bit rushed to me but I figured that if I couldn't get it right in almost 3 months than it would probably never work out the way I wanted it to. Still, over 8,000 words. I'm a bit proud of myself. This is considerable longer than my other chapters (which isn't saying much).

To those that put my story in their favorites or on their alerts, my thanks. I'm glad to see you enjoy it enough to care if I update or not. To those that reviewed, you also have my whole hearted appreciation (even He-Who-Did-Not-Want-To-Be-Named). Your reviews let me know what I'm doing wrong, what I'm doing right, and if I should stop writing altogether. I'm not going to promise my next chapter is going is going to come out faster than this one did, but that doesn't mean it's going to take as long either. Right now I have educational obligations that take up most of my time. So basically, take it as it comes.


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